What I Wore

Nora Epron, the author, screenwriter (she wrote the screenplays for "When Harry Met Sally", "Sleepless in Seattle", and "You’ve Got Mail", among others), and playwright, recently wrote a play called Love, Loss, and What I Wore. According to the official website, the play "uses clothing and accessories and the memories they trigger to tell funny and often poignant stories that all women can relate to." Ephron was the guest editor of the October 2009 issue of Elle, and she recruited several of her friends, like Meg Ryan and Rosie O’Donnell, to contribute stories about an item of clothing or accessory that was meaningful and/or memorable in their life. The stories were quite entertaining and touching, and I think the concept is an interesting one. Just like hearing certain songs or smelling certain scents, the sight (or sometimes just the thought) of certain items in my closet or jewelry box can really take me back to key moments in my life.

My wedding dress is an obvious example, but there are many others. Like the birthstone ring my Mama B bought me as a reward for not biting my nails. Or the hot pink mini duffle bag with the logo of my old dance school that I used to schlep around my tap and ballet shoes – I remember how it made me feel so grown up to have my very own bag!

Probably the most enduring and memorable items, however, are my vintage mens Wrangler jeans and my Army boots. Both of these items were purchased, as you might guess, during that wonderful early ‘90’s era of grunge. In those days I would pore over the pages of magazines, wishing I could wear the fabulous clothes I saw inside and then, suddenly, I could!! Plaid shirts, baggy pants, huge shoes, layers upon layers – I could afford bags full of clothes like this from Thrift Town with my weekly allowance and still have money left over for a Cookie Monster from Cheddars and a Sonic Route 44! :)

Those big hole-y jeans and steel-toed boots made me feel tough and brave and kinda cutting-edge. Yeah, I looked a little like one of the guys, but in a cute way (or so I thought). There’s no doubt they were comfy, AND they just got cooler the more dirty and beat-up they became!

I still wear them every once in a while, though usually not together. The last time I wore the boots (to a super-rainy LSU football game) I ended up with blisters the size of silver dollars. Ouch. And yuck. And the jeans were last worn as part of my "biker chick" Halloween costume, I think. Still comfy. Still tough. Good memories!!

I’d love to hear your "What I Wore" stories!!